County Attorney

The County Attorney has the following responsibilities for Martin County:

Represents the state in prosecuting misdemeanor criminal cases.

Represents the state in contested traffic ticket cases.

Represents the state in juvenile and truancy cases.

Works with law enforcement officers in the investigation of criminal cases.

Provides legal advice to the Commissioners Court and to other elected officials.

Brings civil enforcement actions on behalf of the state or county.

Assist the District Attorney upon request.

Misdemeanor criminal cases include all crimes in which the punishment is either a fine alone or a sentence in county jail. Hot checks of less than $2,500.00 are included in the definition of misdemeanor crimes. Juvenile cases are crimes which are committed by a person under the age of 17 with no distinction between felonies and misdemeanors. Felony cases are those which have the potential to result in a state jail sentence, a prison sentence, or the death penalty and are handled by the District Attorney.

The County Attorney is also allowed to maintain a private law practice so long as it does not conflict with his duties to the county, which specifically precludes the defense of criminal matters.